


vanilla and raspberry

by strifescloud



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: M/M, coffee shop AU, genesis's coffee order is lethal probably, zack brings people together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-02
Updated: 2016-06-02
Packaged: 2018-07-10 07:07:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6972238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strifescloud/pseuds/strifescloud
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cloud gets moved to the open shift, adjusts to the harsh reality of facing customers before noon, and meets all the morning regulars.</p><p>Including Genesis, whose order is bizarre and potentially deadly if he keeps drinking it every day, but still not nearly as memorable as the man who orders it.</p><p>(fill for strifesodos week day 5 AU prompt)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> everyone who's ever followed me on twitter for 0.5 seconds knows how hard i project onto genesis, so projecting my coffee tendencies onto him was a very logical step
> 
> so when the prompt for day 5 was AU, i knew what my calling was. my duty.
> 
> but while genesis's regular order is actually my regular order (which, yes, i do drink every day before work) i am much nicer to my baristas, who are lovely people and concerned that drinking it every day will be the cause of my death
> 
> also, the prices are based on what i pay for my coffee before my neighbour discount, but that's in australian dollars (if you're wondering why anyone would pay $9 for a coffee)
> 
> this was the first one i wrote for strifesodos week and is by far my favourite. enjoy

“That’ll be $4.95.”

Cloud sluggishly took the five dollar note from the customer, fighting back a yawn. It was, he thought, probably too much to hope that the mere smell of espresso would do anything to clear his head. Getting moved to morning shift wasn’t _really_ the worst thing that could happen to him, but it certainly felt close.

Everything was too much in the mornings, really.

He hadn’t even had time to grab a coffee for himself to start - a long black, usually, in the biggest receptacle they could find - and his ability to cope with the sensory experience of living was swiftly declining.

Especially when customers chose to wear such garishly bright red clothes at this _ungodly_ hour of the morning. Cloud squinted tiredly at the man as he approached the register, inclining his head in acknowledgement when Angeal tossed out a greeting to him from behind the pastries cabinet. He didn’t even wait for Cloud to open his mouth before he started rattling off his order.

“I want a medium latte, fifty-five degrees, with four shots of espresso-”

Cloud scrambled to grab a cup, writing furiously as he tried to keep listening.

“-made with premium blend, with five pumps of vanilla syrup and four pumps of raspberry.”

He obligingly stopped as Cloud continued to write across the cup, but looked mildly irritated when Cloud glanced back up at him.

“Sorry, how many-”

“ _Five_ vanilla, _four_ raspberry.” He stopped again, waiting for Cloud to put the cup down before continuing. “You must be new here.”

Cloud narrowed his eyes.

“Just been moved from the afternoon shift. I’m adjusting.” He was _far_ too tired for this. “Your name?”

“Genesis.” Cloud scrawled it across the side of the cup, strokes sharp with irritation. “And not to worry,” He continued with an almost amused smirk, “you’ll learn.”

“$7.10, please.” Cloud said in lieu of a reply. Genesis waved his card at him and finished the transaction in silence.

Neither of them said thank you.

Zack picked up the cup from the counter, not even bothering to read the rest once he saw the name.

“Morning, Gen!”

“Good morning, Zack.” Genesis replied begrudgingly. Zack was making the drink with practiced motions, obviously not phased by the bizarrely specific syrup distribution.

“Working today?”

“Of course,” he sniffed disdainfully, “you know I can’t face the general populace without caffeine.”

“I understand,” Zack replied with a laugh, snapping the lid onto the drink and holding it out, “try not to die.”

Genesis delicately took the drink from Zack’s hand, taking a sip and humming appreciatively as soon as it was within his grasp.

“I will make no such promises.”

Zack gave a cheerful wave as Genesis slipped out the door. He was still grinning when he turned to meet Cloud’s flat, unimpressed stare.

“What?”

“Who _orders_ that?”

“Get used to it - he comes in almost every day.”

Cloud groaned, envisioning long weeks of consistently getting the order wrong and pissing off one of Angeal’s precious regulars. He wasn’t sure he had the fortitude to face that level of disdain _every morning_ , especially when every other customer he’d had that morning had been at the very least civil.

So he’d just have to make sure he got it right. Every single goddamn time.

* * *

 

Cloud had his pen _ready_ by the time Genesis reached the register. As expected, he did not bother with a greeting, only rattling off his order with the dull, lifeless stare of the caffeineless.

Now properly caffeinated himself, Cloud was feeling much more sympathetic.

With Genesis thoroughly distracted by the credit card machine, Cloud took a moment to study the other man. He was wearing slightly more muted tones today, though still mostly in shades of red - to match the hair, Cloud could only assume.

His eyes followed the sweeping strands down to where they brushed sharp cheekbones, framing a face that should be immortalised in a museum for its aristocratic elegance. Genesis had one perfectly shaped brow arched in annoyance at the machine, jabbing irritably at the worn buttons.

He looked up, suddenly, and the intensity of his gaze as it met Cloud’s was enough to snap Cloud out of the moment.

“Uh,” he should _not_ feel so off balance, this was just a _customer_ , “thank you.”

“Thanks,” Genesis replied, eyes trailing down to rest on his name badge, “Cloud.”

And if Cloud blushed, ever so slightly, there was no one who saw.

* * *

 

“I’m sorry?”

“I want you to blend a macaron into the frappe!”

“Uh,” Cloud’s gaze slid over to Angeal, who waved his hand in what he assumed was assent, “sure. Strawberry, you said?”

“Yep!”

Cloud, personally, did not think that this girl needed any more sugar, but his job wasn’t to provide his opinions. Zack picked up the cup once the girl had moved away from the counter, looking slightly perplexed as he read the note Cloud had written.

“A macaron?” Cloud shrugged.

“Apparently.”

“People sure do come up with some weird things, huh?” Zack said, laughing as he tossed the biscuit Angeal handed him into the blender.

“Yeah, you’re telling me. Like that guy in the mornings, the vanilla and raspberry one.” Zack didn’t need to know that he’d memorized Genesis’s name already.

“Who, Gen?”

“Yeah. I mean, is he okay? That much espresso and sugar is…” Zack shrugged slightly in a helpless manner.

“Honestly, man, I think he’s immune. You drink over four shots a day for that long, I’m pretty sure you don’t feel it anymore.”

“That’s what I mean,” Cloud continued as he wiped down the benches, “why does he need that much in the first place?”

“He works retail.”

“Oh.” He guessed that everyone in the service industry coped in different ways.

* * *

 

After a few weeks of working the open shift Cloud was beginning to feel much more chipper as he worked. He was almost beginning to _actively enjoy_ being up and going in time for the store to open, though he was loathe to admit it.

And even more secretly, he was enjoying the brief few minutes he had with Genesis almost every day.

Cloud had the order memorised back-to-front by this point, but he still let Genesis list each requirement, revelling in how Genesis would say it _exactly the same way_ every single day, with a soft rhythmic cadence.

They had even started having conversations - nothing special, just small talk, but it made Cloud _feel_ special. Especially since on those few days when Cloud was not serving at the register, he noticed that Genesis barely engaged with the others at all.

Zack and Angeal occasionally got a few sarcastic cracks out of him - mostly about his job, which Cloud had learned was at the bookstore just up the road - but something about the way he spoke to Cloud seemed more genuine, somehow.

Or maybe, Cloud thought as he mentally slapped himself, he’s just a customer and you should _get a fucking grip, Strife_.

That didn’t stop his smile from getting a little brighter, a little wider, each morning when Genesis walked into the store - and brighter still when, every so often, Genesis would smile back.

It was on one particularly bleak Monday morning when he got only a blank, vaguely startled stare directed at him in response to his cheery greeting.

“Good....morning.” Genesis replied slowly, sounding almost like he was asking a question.

“The usual?” Cloud asked as he reached for the cup, also a little slower than usual since Genesis didn’t seem up to the task of ordering.

“No.” Genesis said firmly, but he continued to stare blearily at the menu board instead of continuing. Cloud gave him a solid thirty seconds before he prompted him again.

“Are you…okay?” Genesis’s eyes shifted back to him.

“I...I need a large dark mocha frappe, with uh, two extra shots of espresso on top of,” Genesis waved his hand vaguely at the coffee machines, “whatever’s already in there, four pumps of raspberry, four pumps of Irish cream, one extra pump of emulsifier. No whipped cream.”

Cloud obediently copied down the order, hoping that his face didn’t reflect his _sincere_ concern.

“That’s $9.10. Seriously, are you doing okay?” Genesis made a negative-sounding grunt, but Cloud couldn’t tell if it was directed at him or at the credit card machine.

“Fear not, I will live.” Sounding much more like himself, Genesis met his eyes once again, gaze oddly intense as a slight smirk formed on his face. “After all, you’ve made me feel _far_ better already.”

Cloud was _certain_ that he was blushing. Before he could stammer out a response, Genesis had already pocketed his wallet and sauntered off to the other end of the counter. There were no other customers in the store, so he turned his attention to Zack, who had picked up the marked cup and let out a long, impressed whistle.

“Rough night, Gen?”

Genesis, who was leaning against a wall with his eyes closed, groaned slightly in response.

“I’m certain I don’t know what you mean.” Cloud irrationally hoped that he wasn’t imagining it - Genesis’s tone now lacked a certain _indulgence_ that was always present when they spoke.

“You only ever order this when you’re hungover.”

“I resent that implication.” Genesis had cracked open one eye to glare balefully at Zack, who slid the drink across the counter with a grin.

“Try taking it black sometime. Knocks the hangover right out of you.” Genesis looked vaguely disgusted as he took the drink, clutching it like a lifeline.

“Good _bye_ , Zack.”

“Bye, Gen!”

Cloud’s eyes trailed after Genesis as he left the store, hoping his face did not reflect the fond, warm feeling he always felt after talking to him. He was startled out of the moment by Zack clearing his throat, snapping his embarrassed gaze back to the other man’s face.

“Holy shit.”

“What?”

“You _like_ him.” Cloud crossed his arms defensively, turning back to his register.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Zack slung an arm over his shoulders, laughing almost incredulously.

“That’s so _cute_ , man. I mean, I can see why when he’s got a face like that.”

“Looks aren’t the most important thing, you know.” Cloud snapped back instinctively before realising that he was only digging this hole deeper.

“Aww, you actually like him as a person! That’s even cuter - and don’t think I haven’t noticed your little chats with him. I’m rooting for you, buddy.” Cloud pushed Zack’s arm off his shoulder, with only a shred of genuine irritation.

“It’s not like that, I mean - he’s just a customer. I’m just his barista.”

“He’s here like, every day. Coffee’s an important part of his life - and you’re part of that.” Cloud looked down at his pen, staring attentively at the cap he was fiddling with as if it could save him from this line of questioning.

“Zack, he probably has someone already. Somebody like that…I mean, just to talk to him every day, it’s...” He trailed off, shifting his gaze to look absently into the distance. Zack straightened, face turning serious.

“Huh. You’re really-” he snapped his mouth shut, pausing for a second, “you know what? Nevermind. I won’t push you on it.”

“Thanks.”

Of course, things rarely end where they’re supposed to.

* * *

 

Genesis liked routines.

It was part of the reason he’d demanded to always do the open shift. He started at the same time each day and ideally finished at the same time each day.

Also, every day he would grab a very strong coffee before work.

This never used to be something he thought about all that much. He spent the first month or so of his job trying varying combinations of syrups and other ingredients until he settled on his usual drink, despite Zack’s jokes about diabetes and heart attacks that had ensued after the first time he’d ordered it from him.

Then, unexpectedly, they’d moved Cloud to the morning shift, and what used to be a small stop in his morning routine had become the best part of his day.

Cloud - beautiful, shy, awkward Cloud - had enraptured him completely, brightening his mornings with naught but a simple smile when he entered. Their conversations felt easy in a way that few ever did, even with Genesis still half asleep by the time he reached the counter. He was enthralling, ethereally gorgeous, and - Genesis thought in a dark corner of his mind - probably not single.

Nevertheless, the first time Cloud had remembered his name and order without prompting, Genesis had felt his silly, irrational heart stutter in his chest, because at least he was _memorable_.

This morning Cloud was, unfortunately, stuck behind the machine instead of at the register. Genesis ordered from Zack instead, dully answering the ever-cheerful man’s questions as he poked at the credit card machine and shuffling down the counter as soon as the transaction was complete.

“Morning, Genesis!”

Genesis looked up, flashing Cloud a quick, genuine smile and revelling at the light in Cloud’s eyes as he gave in his own smile in response. Very few people in the world ever dragged a true smile out of him, but when it was Cloud, it was almost effortless.

What he didn’t notice was Zack’s intense, calculating stare as he took in the exchange.

Genesis watched Cloud make his drink in silence, taking in the practiced motions of his hands, the focused look on his face. When it was done Cloud held it out to him, and as Genesis took it from his hand their fingers brushed for a single, impossibly long moment.

“Thanks, Cloud.” Genesis murmured, and left the store before he said anything he’d regret. He spent the rest of the day thinking about what he could have said, to the point where Sephiroth had nearly thrown a book at his head to snap him out of it.

Dangerous things, what-ifs and maybes.

The next day Cloud was thankfully back on the register, and the routine was restored. He rattled off his order absent-mindedly, appreciating that Cloud even let him despite them both knowing that he knew the order off by heart. He almost voiced his thoughts - that Cloud looked as radiant as ever, today, like the incarnation of the sun - but uncertainty stayed his tongue, and he focused his gaze on the transaction screen to ensure that the words remained unsaid.

He hoped the last look he sent Cloud’s way wasn’t too filled with longing.

He stayed silent as he watched Zack make the drink, consumed with his inner thoughts, though his attention was successfully piqued when Zack sent a considering look his way. He then, oddly, looked back at Cloud, who was focused on the next customer. Looking determined, Zack slipped his own pen out of his pocket, scrawling something on the side of Genesis’s finished drink surreptitiously.

How curious.

He _winked_ at Genesis when he took his drink, so Genesis made sure he was far from the store when he finally read the mysterious note.

_cloud’s really into you!! he’s single go for it man :)_

Out of sight, Genesis didn’t have to pretend he didn’t know what Zack meant. But what to _do_ about it - of that, he was still unsure.

He spent his entire day thinking about it, but when he entered the store the next day he carried with him only nervous trepidation instead of a plan. Genesis considered himself something of a thespian, and kept his face carefully controlled as they went through their normal, routine conversation.

Then Cloud gave him that gorgeous, dorky half-smile, and Genesis _knew_. Let it never be said that he did anything by halves.

The counter was small enough for him to grab Cloud’s shirt by its front before he pulled him into a kiss.

Cloud made a brief surprised noise before he relaxed into the kiss, but Genesis kept it chaste and short, _very_ cognizant of the stares of almost everyone else in the store and unsure how Cloud would feel about taking it any further. They broke apart slowly, agonizingly, letting their breath intermingle as Genesis slowly relaxed his grip on Cloud’s shirt.

When they were entirely separated from one another, Genesis noted that Cloud’s face was blazing red. The heat in his own face told him that he wasn’t entirely immune, but Cloud’s embarrassment was so endearing that he couldn’t help but smile.

“So, I, uh,” he cleared his throat, uncertain why his voice was failing him _now_ of all times, “I think it’s probably best that we don’t go out for coffee.” Cloud laughed, clear and genuine, and Genesis felt his lingering uncertainty fade away as if it had never been.

“However,” he continued, “there is this delightful little dessert place whose cheesecake is absolutely _to die for_. I mean, if you enjoy that kind of thing.” He felt his nerves beginning to creep back in the corners of his mind.

“I like desserts.” Cloud replied shyly, his smile genuine and perfect and for Genesis alone.

“Excellent.” Genesis reached around the register to snag Cloud’s pen, printing the name and address neatly onto a napkin. “What time do you finish work?”

“Around three?”

“Perfect, so do I. I’ll meet you here at four o’clock.” He presented the napkin and pen to Cloud with a flourish, this time feeling free to revel in the moment when their fingers brushed once again.

“Yeah, that sounds neat!” Genesis could see the internal cringe as Cloud’s mind caught up with what his mouth was saying. It was, he thought, incredibly endearing. “I mean, uh, yeah.” Cloud finished, blushing again as he looked down, fiddling with his returned pen.

Obviously in search of something for his hands to do, Cloud wrote Genesis’s order on a cup, though he was smiling brightly the whole time. After he paid, Genesis met Cloud’s eyes a final time.

“See you at four.”

“See you at four.”

* * *

 

Many, many months later, Cloud flopped exhaustedly onto the huge couch where Genesis was already sprawled.

“Rough day, dearest?”

“ _Customers_.” Cloud sighed, closing his eyes contentedly as Genesis wrapped an arm around his waist. Genesis hummed in agreement.

“Terrible things, customers. Always with their unreasonable demands.” Cloud laughed a little at that, but chose to let the silence stretch on, enjoying the peace that always came to him when Genesis was there.

“Hey,” he said suddenly, “you know when you first asked me out?”

“How could I forget? It was very memorable.”

“What made you do _that_?”

“Well,” Genesis began, tightening his grip on Cloud’s waist, “it was actually _Zack_ who wrote an encouraging note on my coffee cup.”

“You’re kidding. You took Zack’s advice?”

“Well, of all the people who could tell me how _you_ felt, I thought he seemed like a reliable source. Besides,” his voice softened slightly, almost confessional in tone, “I was far too anxious to say anything to you of my own volition.”

Cloud turned his head to face him properly, brow creased.

“I can’t imagine you being nervous.”

“You’re very inspiring, my love - of all kinds of feelings.”

“All kinds?”

Genesis pressed his lips against Cloud’s forehead, delaying his answer. Cloud poked him in the side.

“Take from that what you will,” Genesis finally answered with a grin, moving his hand to grab Cloud’s and prevent himself from getting poked again, “but you know that I adore you.”

“I _adore_ you too.” Cloud replied, teasing and heartfelt all at once.

When their lips met, Cloud tasted vanilla and raspberry, and smiled into the kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> every drink featured is something i drink at least semi-regularly  
> blending a strawberry macaron into a plain coffee frappe tastes great tbh  
> the raspberry/irish cream frappe tastes like a cherry ripe (like the chocolate bar) and is commonly known among my friends as the Danger Frappe. smacks the hangover right out of you
> 
> as always i can be found at strifescloud.tumblr.com where i will be posting the shorter fills (under 1k) for the week


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wrote a little bonus for this one, because god almighty do i hate working in customer service
> 
> i once had a customer throw a metal straw dispenser at my head and i wish i'd had a genesis to have my back hahaha

“Are you ever going to try something different?” Cloud asked, even as he was halfway through scribbling Genesis’s well-known order in the boxes.

“There’s nothing wrong with having a _routine_ , dearest. Life is uncertain enough without changing the very basics upon which we build our lives.”

“Because we build our lives on coffee.” Cloud replied, only partially sarcastic.

Genesis paused for a long moment, watching Cloud’s hands.

“Also, I’m eagerly awaiting the Christmas season when you have that _divine_ gingerbread syrup.”

“You hate Christmas and everything to do with it.”

“It has exactly one redeeming quality, and that is gingerbread flavoured coffee. Everything else can burn for all I care.” Genesis swiped his card, tapping at the keypad when prompted. Another customer had entered the store, so Cloud was no longer free to chat. Such a pity.

“See you after work, dear.”

“See you!” Cloud gave him one last smile as Genesis moved down the counter before turning his attention to the next customer.

Genesis zoned out as he waited for his drink, watching the coffee slowly drip into his cup. The other woman got hers before he did, but given the complexity of his order that was hardly unusual.

What was unusual was the way she immediately stormed back to the register after receiving it.

This was going to be one of _those_ mornings.

“This is not iced!” She declared, slamming the drink onto the counter with what Genesis was sure she thought of as righteous fury. “I wanted iced! And I wanted whipped cream!”

“Ma’am,” Cloud began calmly, though Genesis saw the spark of exasperation in his eyes, “you did not ask me for an iced latte.”

“I shouldn’t have to!” She shrieked, waving her arms rather drastically. “It’s sweltering outside! You should know that I wanted iced!”

“Furthermore,” Cloud continued as though she had not spoken, “vanilla lattes do not typically come with whipped cream, so you will need to make sure you ask for that next time you order.”

“You’re supposed to ask me!  _You_ ask _me_ next time! _Make it again_!”

She picked the drink back up and threw it at Cloud, who narrowly ducked the hot liquid flying at his face. It splashed instead on the back wall, cup clattering to the ground. Genesis pushed himself of the wall to stalk over to the woman, eyes narrowed.

“Ex _cuse_ me.” He said icily, looming over her more diminutive form. She turned, evidently still raring for a fight as Zack dashed over to check on Cloud.

“What do y-”

“You will listen to me very closely. You are going to turn around and apologise to him, and you are going to leave this store.”

“But m-”

“ _I am not finished_. You will apologise and leave this store and if you do  _not_ immediately comply so help me _God_ I will rain every scrap of legal justice I can muster upon your head for having the audacity to attempt to _assault my boyfriend_.” He finished with a snarl.

Genesis had been told that he could be intimidating, especially when he was genuinely angry. By the way the woman’s face paled, he didn’t doubt it.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“ _Louder_.”

“I’m sorry!” Genesis nodded, eyes still narrowed.

“Leave. _Now_.” She dashed out of the store. Genesis cast his gaze over to Cloud, who was giving him an odd look, startled and fond in equal measures. Genesis, probably in violation of some kind of rule or another, moved around the counter to stand closer to Cloud.

“Are you alright?”

“Oh, yeah. She didn’t get me.” Cloud glanced back at the dripping, coffee-covered wall, looking annoyed. “I’m gonna have to clean that up though. Damn.”

Genesis reached out to gently tangle his fingers with Cloud’s.

“Cloud-”

“Seriously, Gen, I’m fine. Same shit different day.” He paused, gaze softening. “You didn’t have to do that, you know. I’m used to it.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m going to stand by and let it happen. Besides, you know how I enjoy striking fear into the hearts of insolent customers.”

“This is why Sephiroth doesn’t like having you on register.”

“I’m quite certain I don’t know what you mean.”

Zack was hardly unsympathetic, having taken over the register as Cloud recovered from the shock of having something thrown at him, but he was looking swamped now as the line grew larger. Genesis caught him gesturing for Cloud to help out of the corner of his eye and reluctantly released Cloud’s hand.

“Stay safe.”

“I can take care of myself, you know.” Cloud said with a slight grin, straightening up and dusting off his apron.

“Of that, I have no doubt.” Genesis picked up his finished drink from behind the counter - seeing as how no one else was going to hand it to him - and left Cloud to his work.

As he sauntered out the door, he blew Cloud a kiss and was on his way.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks everyone!!


End file.
